Seven proved to be lucky number for ‘Fishtank’ series

Spencer Patterson

Friday, July 18, 2003 | 9:18 a.m.

When Dutch label Konkurrent announced plans for its "In the Fishtank" series back in the late 1990s, the idea sounded intriguing to say the least.

The concept: Give indie acts two days of studio time to record an EP's worth of new material while on tour in the Netherlands. In some cases, Konkurrent also offered participants the chance to pair up with one or two other bands for the sessions.

For the most part, the results have ranged from mildly interesting (Tortoise with the Ex) to downright bizarre (members of Sonic Youth with I.C.P. and the Ex).

On Fishtank Vol. 7, however, Konkurrent produced a musical statement well worth tracking down. The session featured a collaboration between two like-minded bands -- Low and Dirty Three -- with stunning results.

Though they hail from opposite ends of the globe (Low is from Duluth, Minn., Dirty Three from Melbourne, Australia), the two outfits share one important quality: they believe in taking their time.

Termed "slowcore" by critics, the bands' music is usually built around simple riffs and sparse instrumentation, which grow gradually into grand, anthemic pieces.

The three-man Dirty Three eschews vocals altogether, instead centering its compositions around the violin work of leader Warren Ellis. Low, meanwhile, is most memorable for the haunting vocal harmonies between the husband-wife team of Alan Sparhawk and Mimi Parker.

On the six-track Fishtank CD, those approaches complement each other to perfection. That's evident right from the start, when the Low duo begin singing 25 seconds into leadoff track "I Hear ... Goodnight."

As with everything on the disc, the song is dominated by Ellis' melancholy bowing technique, a style that still leaves plenty of space for Dirty Three guitarist Mick Turner, Sparhawk's banjo and the ultra-light drumming of Parker and Dirty Three's Jim White.

"Invitation Day" and "Cody" are two other standout tracks in a similar mold, but the EP's true gem is a 9 1/2-minute cover of Neil Young's "Down By the River."

Even the most diehard Young followers will have trouble identifying the song until the five-minute mark, just before Parker picks up the lyric for the first time.

The musicians redefine "leisurely," presenting their version of Young's 1969 classic at an unhurried, but never sluggish, pace. The slightly upbeat, Indian-flavored closer, "Lordy," sounds breakneck by comparison.

A prime choice for a lazy summer day or to guide you into your night's sleep, the seventh edition of "In the Fishtank" should be readily available for under $10 from independent record stores locally or online.

Artist: Low and Dirty Three.

Title: "In the Fishtank" (Vol. 7).

Year of release: 2001 (Konkurrent).

Tracklisting: "I Hear ... Goodnight," "Down By the River," "Invitation Day," "When I Called Upon Your Seed," "Cody," "Lordy."